A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit that I was slightly worried that this novel wouldn't live up the sheer numbers of glowing reviews behind it.

I mean, I read the other two novels before and I think I really liked them well, but it's been so long and if I'm perfectly honest, I've lost a few details along the way. Is that a bad sign for the longevity of the book, or is it just because my memory is failing? lol

Either way, most of it eventually came back to me, but it took a while. The novel starts and continues on in a very martial way, making me rather wish I remembered and loved the characters or that I should have re-read the others so the character development became fresh once again. So. Yeah. I'm trying to say that I lost my reason to care since the last time I read the others. ;)

BUT. This novel eventually recaptures that. It's not all war and war and strife and more war, a few reversals, bolstered defenses, or a REALLY BIG reversal.

These kids come back to the fore. They make me love them again. It just took a few moments. And I'm glad because I really love where this took me.

The BIG reversal at the end, the one that prepares the way for a truly epic blow-out in the 4th book, is more than enough to make me super excited to come back, but it will always be the characters and the little details that make me LOVE the book.

I'm so glad the author didn't rely entirely on the war. People are a lot more than just that, with or without their souls getting lost. :)

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